


Italian Lessons

by WildClover27 (PrairieFlower)



Category: Garrison's Gorillas
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:20:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21525862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrairieFlower/pseuds/WildClover27
Summary: Even a simple mission can go wrong. Can Actor keep Terry alive? And what are the cons going to do about it?
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	Italian Lessons

**Author's Note:**

> Non-canon characters are my own and not for use in other writers' stories

Chapter 1

Garrison looked around at his group as they waited on the deck of the fishing boat. On the seat in front of the wheelhouse, Casino had Goniff this time, trying to keep him from throwing up. Chief and Actor were standing at the far side, talking, watching the water, and Actor smoking his pipe. Craig turned to the bow of the ship to watch his sister happily catching the warm wind in her face.

He still wasn’t sure why Terry had decided to come along. Maybe it was to get away from the cold and snow in England. That didn’t seem right as they were used to eight to ten months of cold and snow in Montana. It could be just because the girl so loved Italy. The winters they had spent in Rome with their aunt held a different meaning to each of them. Craig remembered the lessons and loves he had experienced. Terry had embraced the land, the culture and the people. She would probably be just as happy living there as on the ranch. Maybe more so now that she had been away from home so long.

They had taken a sub to Sicily where they had picked up this fishing boat to take them to the mainland. Their mission was to break into a safe at a villa during a party and replace some documents in the safe with forged ones. Actor would be an Italian dignitary at the party of mixed German and Italian officers and nobility. Terry’s presence was not needed, but the con man had shown no objection to taking her along. They both knew the girl’s Italian was fluent Roman as was Actor’s. Well, she could probably use the practice. 

Craig chuckled to himself. His sister had taken to the con game like she had been born to it. After her initial doubts, Terry had readily excelled in the lessons on sophistication and elegance. Garrison had experienced his own doubts when the con man and his sister kept up the routine of kissing, touching and conversing in other languages at the mansion. At first, he was unsure of Actor’s motives, but soon saw the rightness of his theory. Terry could at times be the Italian’s irreverent sister and at other times be a high-class mistress or a duchess. It wasn’t quite second nature to her yet, but it was improving. 

Garrison looked between the two with contemplation. He still wondered if there had not been an affair in London between his second and his sister. Actor had flat denied it. Terry had called him an ass. She didn’t seem to mind when the aristocratic Italian spent the night with some woman. In fact, he had seen her nudge the con man and point out a particularly beautiful woman for him in a bar in London once, chiding him because he had not noticed her first.

Terry left the bow and wandered back to the wheelhouse. She stroked the top of Goniff’s head. “How are you doing,” she asked the Cockney.

“Not too bad,” he replied, still sounding miserable.

“It shouldn’t be much longer,” reassured the girl.

About ten minutes later, they pulled up to the dock. Dressed as ordinary working people, the six disembarked. Casino was carrying the duffle with their clothes and Actor’s makeup kit. Terry had Goniff by the arm. Craig and Actor led the way and Chief brought up the rear. They slowly ambled down the street, eventually coming to a warehouse. Actor did all the talking to their contact in Italian. Garrison found himself watching between Actor and Terry, realizing Terry could understand the conversation better than he could and could alert him if there was a problem. Maybe there were advantages to having his sister along.

They were given an open backed truck. Actor drove, with Terry in the middle and Craig on the passenger side in the cab. The other three sat on benches in the back. As they drove out into the country, Terry gazed around at the scenery with a smile on her face. She glanced at the two men. Actor was dressed in faded blue work clothes, shirt open at the neck, sleeves rolled partway up him forearms, one elbow rested on the window edge. Craig was dressed similarly but was not quite so relaxed. It could almost have been a nice leisurely drive in the country.

“Are you happy now?” asked Craig.

Terry nodded. “I’d be happier if there wasn’t a war on, but at least I’m back in Italy.”

“Just why did you want to come?” asked her brother.

“I don’t know,” said Terry. “Something just told me I should come along.”

“The practice won’t hurt,” remarked Actor.

They drove for another hour until they hit the first roadblock. Actor slowed the truck down and pulled to a stop. He had a dull, unintelligent look on his face. Craig pretended to be sleeping against the door frame. Terry adopted a bored, disinterested expression. A Wehrmacht soldier walked up to the open driver’s window and asked for their papers in German. Actor looked at him blankly and reached over to bat Terry clumsily on the leg. Her head jerked around to look at the German.

“Ach, verzeihung,” she apologized in Italian accented German. “Mein Onkel kann nicht Deutsch gesprechen.” 

She reached inside Actor’s shirt and pulled out his papers. Craig did not move as she pulled his papers from his pocket. Handing them over to the soldier, she then got hers from her handbag and handed them over also.

“Where are you going?” asked the German as he studied the documents. 

“We heard there is factory work to be had up by Roma,” explained Terry. “My uncle and I and these men from our village are going to see if we can get jobs.”

The soldier looked at the vague expression on the Italian’s face. “What is the matter with him?”

Terry smiled and patted Actor on the chest. “He is very strong,” she said, “aber der kopf ist kaput. Das nördliche Afrika.”

“Ahh,” the German nodded in understanding. He handed the papers back.

“Is it safe up ahead?” asked Terry, feigning concern. “I heard there was bombing last night.”

“It is secure,” assured the soldier. “There is a road crew about 10 kilometers ahead, but you should have no difficulty.”

“Danke sehr,” smiled Terry. She tucked Actor’s papers back inside his shirt and told him in Italian he could drive on.

They drove a couple kilometers before Actor glanced at Terry. “Mein kopf ist kaput?” he said indignantly.

Terry grinned. “Yes, caro. And you looked the part so well. Not at all like a SS general.”

Craig leaned forward to look at his second. “Don’t you think you were taking a bit of a chance back there?”

“What? With Teresa?” asked Actor. “No. Your sister is very capable as you saw. She thinks well on her feet . . . or her culo.” He said the last under his breath.

Craig shot a sharp look at the man, understanding the Italian word. His sister choked out a laugh.

“Oh, touché, Actor,” she chortled. “I guess we’re even.”

“We are not anywhere close to even,” said the con man haughtily.

They continued on. The road crew came as no surprise and they got past it without any problems. Another hour down the road and Craig directed Actor to turn up a dirt track. Winding around hills, they eventually arrived at what must have once been a nice villa. It was now overgrown with weeds and looked as though it had been abandoned for at least a year.

The men got out and spread out, looking to see that the area was secure. Terry scooted over and drove the truck into a dilapidated building that might once have been a stable. She waited by the door until Craig motioned it was clear for her to come to the house. Walking past remnants of an old herb garden, she looked at the olive and citrus trees bordering it.

The inside of the house was clean and comfortable. Someone had gone to great pains to make the outside of the villa look abandoned. 

“Bet this was a nice place at one time,” remarked Terry.

Actor studied the antique furniture. “Undoubtedly.”

Goniff, over his seasickness, had scrounged in the kitchen and come up with cheese, bread and a bottle of Chianti. Chief slapped together cheese and bread into a sandwich and let himself out to take first watch.

Terry grabbed some food and parked next to Actor on the sofa. “Okay, who are we?”

Actor took the half of a sandwich Terry offered him. “We are Roberto and Teresa DeMarco. We own a villa in Switzerland and an apartment in Roma. We are pro-Mussolini, but we tolerate our Nazi ‘benefactors.’ We deal in antiquities.”

“You deal in antiquities,” said Terry. “You need to teach me that. Why are we down here?”

“To check on the apartment,” replied Actor. “With the bombings and all there might be damage.”

“Casino and I are your bodyguards,” continued Garrison. “The conte is thinking of relocating some oil paintings and antiques from the apartment up to Switzerland.”

“So why are we going to France for pickup?” asked Terry. “Seems a long way to drive.”

“Because if we are watched, we will be expected to go north,” explained Actor. “To go back the way we came would draw suspicion.”

“Can we make a detour in Roma?” ventured Terry.

“No!” said Craig firmly. “We don’t have the time and it wouldn’t be safe.”

Terry bobbed her head in acknowledgement of the rightness of what he said. “What about the Riviera? I do good in Monte Carlo.”

“Did you bring money?” asked her brother sarcastically.

“No,” replied Terry. “But I bet he did.” She cocked a thumb at Actor. She looked up into one of his inscrutable expressions. “Guess not.”

Chapter 2

Terry was looking elegant and comfortable on Actor’s arm. The champagne was flowing freely, but Terry wasn’t partaking of more than a sip or two. The con man, who could drink the stuff like water, was surreptitiously swapping glasses with her as he finished one. A waiter came by with a tray of wine glasses. Terry happily placed her empty champagne glass on the tray and selected a glass of wine that she could drink without any effects.

Garrison watched until he was satisfied and motioned for Casino it was time for them to do their deed. The two men wandered down the hall and ducked into the empty office. Chief wandered down behind them and stationed himself at the door.

Casino located the safe, not very uniquely hidden behind a portrait of Adolf. The safecracker shook his head. The Krauts had no imagination. Craig grinned silently. It took all of twenty seconds to get the safe open. Garrison sifted through the papers and located the ones he needed to switch. In the meantime, Casino was lifting a couple bundles of Italian lira and Deutsch marks. Garrison gave him a stern look and made him put it back. It wouldn’t do to have someone find the money missing and then question if the papers were legitimate. With a frustrated look at the lieutenant, Casino replaced the money, shut the safe and wiped everything down for prints.

The three men wandered back to watch from the archway into the ballroom. Actor was dancing with a matronly woman overly dripping with jewels. Terry was dancing with her equally overdressed husband. The dance came to an end and Actor gallantly kissed the woman’s fingers. The husband clicked his heels, bowed and did the same to Terry. She smiled and as quickly as possible made her way back to the con man. Another dance started and Terry made sure she had Actor to herself this time. A quick grin of amusement showed that he was of the same mind. 

Actor kept a careful eye on Garrison as he moved himself and Terry around the room. Craig unobtrusively tapped his watch. Actor gave a tiny nod, lowering his head to whisper to Terry. She said something back that caused the man to smile with amusement. Craig could only guess she had complained about having to leave the dance floor already.

When that arrangement ended, the DeMarcos casually made their way to the archway and the five of them left. Chief took over driving the car he had liberated earlier that day. Terry was sitting in the middle of the back seat between the con man and her brother. She reached over the seat and poked Casino in the shoulder.

“Next time can you take a little longer opening that safe?” she asked. “I could have stood a couple more dances.”

Actor chuckled. “That Wehrmacht colonel would have loved to capture you again.”

“Yeah, well his wife sure wanted to get her hooks into you,” shot Terry back at him.

“I do have that effect on women,” said Actor smugly.

There were groans from the front seat. Terry turned to her brother. “Conceited, isn’t he?”

“Not a modest bone in his body,” agreed Garrison.

“Just stating a well-established fact,” replied the con man proudly.

The next morning found them on the road north. Much to Terry’s chagrin, they skirted around Rome. The drive might have been pleasant if they hadn’t been squashed three to a seat and if Casino had not been keeping up a steady complaint of not getting to take the money out of the safe.

Finally, Garrison had enough. “Casino, will you knock it off? “

Terry looked at her brother. “Are you sure we can’t stop at the Riviera? I could gamble and Casino could break into all the safes his little heart desires.”

“We are not stopping at the Riviera either,” said Craig sourly. His sister was getting as bad as his men.

As they drove, they passed convoys of German vehicles and Italian vehicles. A few words from Actor in either German or Italian got them through the roadblocks they encountered. It was late afternoon when they started the approach to Milano. The weather was decidedly cooler. 

Terry was tucked up against Actor trying to give her brother space to sleep. As they drove down a country road, she felt the Italian become restless. He stared out the window broodingly. Terry watched him unobtrusively. His head came up as they passed a winding cypress lined driveway leading to a villa. It looked pretty much the same as the other villas they had passed. Derelict and with untended vineyards and ragged olive groves. The con man’s eyes followed it as they drove on by. Once past, Actor turned forward and leaned his head back against the back of the seat. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it with a silver lighter. Smoking, he stared up at the roof, seemingly lost in thought.

“You okay?” asked Terry softly.

“Fine,” said Actor curtly.

Terry leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. It didn’t take much to figure out that the con man was familiar with that particular villa. She didn’t know how, and she knew better than to ask him. According to his dossier, Victor Borghese had been born and raised in Rome. Milan was a bit of a ways from Rome. Granted the man had lived all over Europe during his life. Maybe the villa belonged to the family of an old lover. Whatever the case was, Actor had not been smiling when they drove past.

They skirted Milano also. It was getting dark when they pulled over to an abandoned, half destroyed barn. The accommodations that night were not going to be as nice as the villa of the night before. Dinner was cold and the night was colder. Terry was given a blanket from the car. It did little to give her warmth. Sleeping on Goniff’s shoulder was one thing. Sleeping with Goniff was something else. Besides, she doubted the little Limey put off much heat. She couldn’t see herself sleeping with the other cons.

Craig had taken the first watch. Terry remained awake. Casino, Goniff and Chief were all asleep on the ground at different parts of the barn. In the dark, Terry could see the glow from the tip of Actor’s cigarette. He chain-smoked his way through the first half of the night. Around one o’clock, he relieved Garrison.

Craig found his sister and settled down beside her. They lay back to back for warmth.

“What’s the matter with Actor?” asked Terry in a whisper.

“I don’t know,” said Craig with disinterest. “He gets moody sometimes. Guess this is one of those times.”

The next morning, they abandoned the car in some woods. Casino hotwired another truck. This one had a covered back. Actor drove them through the border into France. They took on the personas of French men looking for work. Actor, Terry and Garrison all spoke fluent French. 

Terry was still keeping an eye on Actor. He had not slept in more than twenty-four hours. It wasn’t worrying Craig, but it was worrying her sister.

“Pull over up ahead at that driveway,” she said to the Italian. “I’ll drive for a while. Craig can get us through the roadblocks. Get some sleep.”

Actor looked around at Garrison. The younger man nodded. The truck pulled over. Actor got out and walked around to the passenger side. Terry scooted behind the wheel and Craig moved to the middle. Actor took Craig’s place. He looked at Terry dubiously.

“Warden, can she drive this thing?” he asked.

Terry ignored that remark.

Garrison grinned at his second. “We live on a ranch. If it has wheels, she can drive it. Maybe not well, but she can drive it.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my driving,” said Terry indignantly as she pulled the big truck onto the road again.

Actor went to sleep in the corner. Craig directed Terry following roads that took them well north of the Riviera. They were headed for Marseilles.

Chapter 3

Terry had driven for several hours before Garrison instructed her to pull off the road so they could take a break. Actor awakened in a less withdrawn mood, but still wasn’t quite his usual self. They all ate a little of the bread and cheese that had been carried along from the villa. It was getting stale.

Terry whispered to her brother that she was going to take a little walk in the woods. Craig warned her to stay within sight of them. Terry gave him an exasperated look.

“Brother, I am not built like you. I need a bit more privacy. I’ll be right back.”

She ventured into the woods down a deer path until she could no longer hear voices and found a convenient bush. She had just stepped back onto the path when she heard gunfire from the road. She broke into a run headed in the direction of the truck. Halfway there, she skidded to a stop as a German soldier stepped from behind a tree in front of her. Terry stood tall with an inscrutable look on her face hiding her fear. The Wehrmacht soldier had his bayoneted rifle trained on her and a not so subtle look of triumph on his face. She contemplated reaching for and throwing her knife but doubted she would be quick enough to dodge the bullet from the gun.

She kept her eyes trained on the soldier as a tall figure emerged stealthily from the woods behind him. For a large man, Actor could move with silence. As the Italian made his move, Terry threw herself to the ground sideways. Actor’s arm snaked around the soldier’s neck as a knife was buried between his ribs. The gun fell from limp fingers.

In two strides, the con man was to Terry, pulling her to her feet and taking her hand to pull her at a loping run back into the woods. He had not missed the wide-eyed look on the girl’s face, but she was gamely trying to keep up with his longer stride. Her hand tightly clasped his.

Reaching the back of the truck, Terry was startled to find herself suddenly in Actor’s arms, being lifted up to a waiting Casino. As she was set on her feet, she reached a hand out to Actor to thank him, but he was already around the side of the truck. Not a word had been spoken by either of them.

The truck took off with a jolt that knocked Terry off balance. Casino grabbed her arm to steady her. He looked at her with concern.

You okay, Babe?” he asked.

Goniff shot a glance at her and saw the paleness of her face. “She don’t look okay.”

Terry tried to cover. “I’m fine,” she said. She did not want any weakness to show on her part.

Casino gripped her chin and jerked her head around to face him. He took in the stillness of her face and the dilated pupils. “What happened?” he demanded.

“Kraut had me cold,” she said quietly. “Actor knifed him.”

“Good on Actor,” said Goniff with approval.

“Yeah,” said Casino. “Hate to have to explain your dead body to the Warden.”

The nonchalance of the two men slightly bothered the girl, but she figured they were used to it.

They traveled another couple hours to reach their rendezvous outside of Marseilles. Terry sat in the back listening to the banter between Casino and Goniff. If she was abnormally quiet, they were too involved to notice.

They reached the deserted stretch of shore an hour before the boat was due to take them to the sub. The wind was chill and by the time the boat arrived it would be dark. Actor and Garrison had been talking for quite a while. Eventually, the Italian moved off to lean a shoulder against a tree, staring broodingly at the water, lost in his own thoughts. Terry walked up to him and touched his arm. He turned his head to look down at her.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry you had to do that on my account.”

“This is a war,” said the man philosophically. “It has to be done.”

“But you’re a con man, not a murderer,” said Terry.

“And now I am also a soldier, so it is now part of what I do,” he replied.

Terry nodded and walked away. Actor watched her. The Lieutenant had told him of his sister’s aversion to killing anything. It saddened him to know if she continued to work with them, she would eventually have to learn to kill or be killed herself.

Once on the sub, Terry found a seat by herself and curled up to sleep. The four cons kept an eye on her. When they were sure she was asleep, they got together for a conference out of her hearing. Actor reiterated what the Lieutenant had told him and Chief about the girl’s reluctance to kill any living thing.

Casino shook his head. “I knew she was upset when you dumped her in the back of the truck, but I figured it was because it’s probably the first time somebody wanted to kill her.”

“You think she’ll stop comin’ along now?” asked Goniff.

Actor shook his head. “The army will not allow her to back away now. Besides, I believe she thinks she has something to prove to the Warden, maybe us, and maybe to herself. No, she will continue to work with us.” He turned to Chief, “Do you think you could make a wrist sheath for Teresa and teach her how to use it?”

“Yeah,” nodded the Indian. “I got enough stuff left to make another one. But you think she’ll use it?”

Actor shrugged, “That remains to be seen, but at least she would be at less of a disadvantage. I am not sure how it would have turned out this time if she had one. However, even if she had attempted to reach the knife in her boot, she would never have made it.”

Chief looked up at the big man. “Guess we all better make sure one of us is with her all the time. That what you been tryin’ to do?”

Actor nodded. “I am not of the Warden’s ‘sink or swim’ persuasion.” He looked at the three men. “I think we need to continue to teach her a little of what we do as we are doing with the Lieutenant.

“I ain’t teachin’ her to open safes,” said Casino adamantly.

“No,” countered Actor. “But you are teaching the Warden to open simple locks, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” replied the safecracker. “He’s slow, but he’s gettin’ the hang of it.”

“Teach her.”

Goniff grinned and punched Casino on the arm. “Hey, Mate, you could always teach her to blow up the Mansion.”

Actor’s eyebrows rose at that one. “I do not think I wish to see that young woman anywhere around explosives.”

“You got that right, Babe,” agreed Casino.

Chapter 4

Craig pulled his sister into his office. “That thing with the German soldier still bothering you?”

Terry nodded. “I’d be dead if it wasn’t for Actor.”

“Terry, that’s called watching each other’s back,” said Craig. “You’re going to have to learn to take care of yourself and take care of them.”

I don’t know if I can kill a man, Craig,” said Terry with a frown.

“Well, you’re going to have to come to a quick decision whether or not you can let an enemy soldier live and watch one of those men out there or me die. That’s what it comes down to.”

Terry sighed and nodded. There was still a troubled expression on her face as she left the office and made her way slowly up the stairs. Actor watched her go and casually got up, going into Garrison’s office. Craig looked up as the big man quietly shut the door.

“She is still troubled by the incident with the soldier,” said the con man, half in question and half in statement.

Craig nodded and sat in his chair. Actor took a seat across from him, crossed his legs, and began filling his pipe, giving the younger man a chance to continue the conversation if he wished.

“I don’t know what more I can do,” said Craig.

“You can teach her the mechanics of killing,” said the con man, “But only she can decide if she is capable of performing the act.”

“I think sometimes, I should call Dad and have him pull her out of here,” admitted Craig.

“Do you think she would go?” questioned Actor.

Garrison shook his head. “No, she’d go to ground somewhere.”

“And possibly get into a worse situation than she has with us.” The Italian sat back and puffed on his pipe. “We are at least trying to watch out for her. I must admit, on the missions she has been on with us, she has not only held her own, but has proven valuable to the team.”

“You two seem to be turning into a good team,” acknowledged Craig. “Sometimes I watch the two of you on a con and have trouble believing that’s my kid sister with the ponytail herding cattle and horses on the ranch.”

“I have never had that experience,” said Actor with humor, “so I have trouble seeing her in the way you describe.”

Craig chuckled, reaching into a drawer of his desk and rummaging around until he found a photograph. He reached across the desk to hand it to Actor. The con man took it and studied it. He was pleased that the Lieutenant would think of showing a picture of the Garrison siblings to him. Garrison watched with interest as a smile came across his second’s face.

Actor carefully looked at the faces in the picture. They were all on horseback in a row facing the photographer. There was a young blond boy on the right, who vaguely resembled the Lieutenant. Next to him was a younger Christine with longer hair in pigtails. Beside her was Monty. Instead of the military cut, the young man’s hair was long straight and dark down past his shoulders. Then came Garrison, already with a military bearing. Finally, was Teresa, her much longer hair braided into a ponytail with the end flipped in front of her left shoulder. All wore blue jeans, long sleeved shirts and cowboy hats.

“The young boy on the end,” said Actor. “Is that Kelly. The one who is missing?”

“Yeah,” nodded Garrison. “Only I expect he’s a little bigger now. That picture was taken in ’38.”

The Warden seemed to be in an open mood, so Actor asked, “Is there not another sister?”

“Cinder was taking that picture.” Craig frowned in thought. “I don’t have a picture of her here. She never was one much for having her picture taken.” 

Actor handed the photograph back. “You are very lucky to have such a large family,” he said.

Craig looked at the older man. “Do you have any family, Actor?” he asked, unsure if the con man would answer.

Actor looked back at him. “I have a cousin. The rest of my family are all dead. My mother died of some wasting illness when I was sixteen. My father died a few years later. I had an older brother, Marco, who was killed during a political rally. My younger sister, Luisa, died in her teens of flu.”

“I’m sorry,” said Craig sincerely.

Actor nodded.

“At times I would be happy to give you some of my brothers and sisters,” laughed Garrison.

“Teresa being one of them?” guessed Actor.

Craig nodded. “Seriously, Actor, is she annoying you too much? I’ve tried to get her to stop teasing you, but you know how much she listens to me.”

The con man smiled and studied the pipe in his hand. “She – can be exasperating at times,” he admitted. “But I had forgotten how it was to be teased. Luisa used to give me such grief when we were children.” He smiled at the remembrance, unwilling to admit how much he missed it.

“Trust me,” said Craig. “They don’t outgrow it.”

Both men chuckled. Actor became serious. “We are all trying to watch out for Teresa. I think the best we can do is to try to teach her what skills we can to give her a better chance out there.”

“I appreciate that, Actor,” said Craig. “As long as she doesn’t start robbing banks or museums . . .” He missed the shadow that flicked across the Italian’s eyes.

It was a couple days later, when Chief approached Terry and showed her the wrist sheath he had made. She looked at it with interest. Though she had obviously seen the Indian’s, she had never been given a close look at the mechanism. He strapped it on her right arm and showed her how the knife fit and how to release it into her hand. Terry spent the rest of the afternoon releasing the knife and trying not to drop it and then putting it back in the harness. If Chief was offering to teach her how to use it, she was determined to learn it quickly and correctly. The young man watched her and nodded encouragement.

The next day, Chief set up a block of wood on a chair in the upstairs hall. They practiced release and throw until Terry had it down to a single, smooth movement. Her aim had always been good, but now Chief worked with her to improve it. She doubted she would ever be as expert as the Indian, but he was determined she would be a close second.

The men went out on another mission. Terry stayed behind and went back to work at the Fox. She walked in one afternoon while it was empty of customers. Kit and Shiv were behind the bar. Terry took a seat and leaned her wrists on the edge of the oak top. Her sleeves pulled back enough to reveal a bit of the sheath. Shiv eyeballed it. 

“Okay, what’s that?” he asked.

Terry slipped off the bar stool and casually turned as if to come around the bar. Her arm flashed out and a switchblade buried itself into the wood paneling. Kit jumped back. The blond man grinned devilishly. He walked over to pull the knife out of the wall, hefting it before closing it and returning it to Terry.

“Nice blade,” he said. “Good balance.”

“Perfect balance,” corrected Terry.

“Where’d you get it?”

“Chief. Craig gets them for him to his specifications. Craig carries one now and I carry two.”

Shiv looked at her arm. “Okay, show me that thing.”

Terry unbuttoned her sleeve and slid it up. She showed him how the knife went in and how the mechanism worked.

“Never seen anything like that,” said Shiv with interest.

“Chief made it from scratch. It’s his own design. I don’t think you can buy one anywhere.”

Shiv shook his head. “Girl, I think you are going to end up better than me.”

“Jake, you’re a surgeon, not a hood. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“Terry, you’re a nurse, not a hood.”

“I think I’m becoming an honorary hood,” she grinned.

“Terrific,” said Shiv sarcastically.

Craig and the men returned from France a few days later. Casino had taken a crease to the left upper arm, but it was nothing that Actor could not handle without stitches. It didn’t stop him from doing his part in the cons’ plan.

Terry had called the men to dinner and put the food on the table. As she took her seat, she noticed a small leather case laying next to her silverware. Five pair of eyes watched her pick it up, four on grinning faces, one face curious. The girl opened it to find a set of lock picks. She looked at Casino with a wide smile. 

“You’re going to teach me?” she asked.

“Why not,” said the safecracker with mock grumpiness. “If I can teach one Garrison, I guess I can teach two.” He looked at the Lieutenant. “You all right with that, Warden?”

Craig nodded. “Can’t hurt.”

Casino proceeded to give lessons to both siblings at the same time, when they could arrange it. He figured neither would ever be really great at it, but they would be able to get the job done if need be.


End file.
